Global Warming Research Paper
Description:
Traditionally, when discussing global warming, the class the class would break up into two groups –
“believers” and “non-believers” and debate. However, as it becomes more difficult to successfully argue against
global warming, this becomes less sensible. Therefore, we’ll avoid the debate and instead individually choose a
global warming related topic, and write a paper about a topic of your choosing. On the due date, rather
than have a debate, we’ll simply have a discussion about some interesting things you’ve learned.
It would be great if you chose a topic related to your interests, for example, if you’re interested in
Ecology, an idea would be how global warming might affect the habitat of a particular species; if you’re into
agriculture, you could study how global warming could affect crop growth, etc. The possibilities are limitless.
Requirements:
 Papers should be 3-4 pages long, double-spaced; with 12 point times new roman font.
 Please list all your sources, and have at least 4 sources, whether from online, book, textbook or journal
articles, or even documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth.
 Plagiarism of any kind (knowingly or unknowingly is not tolerated. Any paper without their sources
cited, will receive NO CREDIT!
Source Reminder: Wikipedia is alright for initial fact-finding, or topic finding, but I would primarily use it for
the references at the end. For example, there are at least 127 references (plus more suggested “further reading”)
from the article on global warming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming), this is a good place to start.
Possible topics (but not limited to these):
- How will global warming affect hurricanes?
- What methods have been proposed to reverse global warming?
- How will the climate of (insert place) change over time because of global warming?
- What unexpected benefits might global warming have?
- Why is Arctic ice melting faster than Antarctic ice?
- How will global warming affect American industry?
- What will happen to the Gulf Stream (or other currents) with global warming?
- What are aerosols and greenhouse gases and how do they contribute to global warming?
- What has happened to the ozone hole, and what is expected to happen?
- How will global warming affect species extinction/evolution?
- How will global warming affect food production?
- You could even discuss the politics of global warming.
- Argue that global warming is not occurring (providing sound reasons why).
- Argue that global warming is being caused by non-human related factors (again providing sound
evidences why).
Additional questions to address in your paper:
a. What is global warming?
b. What is causing global warming?
c. What are solutions to global warming?
d. What does global warming cause?
e. Should we be worried about global warming?
f. What is your opinion about global warming?
Global Warming Research Paper
Scoring Rubric:
Topic: _______________________________________________________________________
Description of global warming
_____/5
Causes of global warming
_____/5
Solutions to global warming
_____/5
Impact of global warming (Things it causes)
_____/5
Should we worry about global warming (why/why not)
_____/5
Personal Opinion about global warming
_____/5
Ease of paper
_____/5
Main idea (The topic is solid and carried throughout paper)
_____/10
Total
______/50
Due Dates:
Rough Draft ____________________________ for peer editing day
Final Draft _____________________________ for class discussion
*We are at the end of the term, due dates are not negotiable*